Janitor job description for a resume

The short answer

A janitor writing a resume should describe what they actually did — work like notify managers concerning the need for major repairs or additions to building operating systems — rather than copying a generic bullet list. The U.S. Department of Labor classifies the role as Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (SOC 37-2011.00). All 12 of its published duties are listed below. Active Listening is the capability O*NET rates highest for the work.

What follows is the published duty list, not a set of bullets to copy. The difference matters: a line describing work you did not do is one interview question away from falling apart.

What a janitor does

Keep buildings in clean and orderly condition. Perform heavy cleaning duties, such as cleaning floors, shampooing rugs, washing walls and glass, and removing rubbish. Duties may include tending furnace and boiler, performing routine maintenance activities, notifying management of need for repairs, and cleaning snow or debris from sidewalk.

O*NET occupation: Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (SOC 37-2011.00).

Janitor duties you can put on a resume

These are all 12 duties O*NET classifies as core to this occupation. Which ranking is a fact from the source; which of them you personally did is not something any dataset knows. Use the list as a memory aid, never as a list to paste.

1. Notify managers concerning the need for major repairs or additions to building operating systems.
2. Gather and empty trash.
3. Service, clean, or supply restrooms.
4. Clean building floors by sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, or vacuuming.
5. Requisition supplies or equipment needed for cleaning and maintenance duties.
6. Follow procedures for the use of chemical cleaners and power equipment to prevent damage to floors and fixtures.
7. Move heavy furniture, equipment, or supplies, either manually or with hand trucks.
8. Dust furniture, walls, machines, or equipment.
9. Clean windows, glass partitions, or mirrors, using soapy water or other cleaners, sponges, or squeegees.
10. Mix water and detergents or acids in containers to prepare cleaning solutions, according to specifications.
11. Monitor building security and safety by performing tasks such as locking doors after operating hours or checking electrical appliance use to ensure that hazards are not created.
12. Clean and polish furniture and fixtures.

Skills a janitor can list

O*NET rates these at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Fewer skills met that threshold here than for most occupations, so this page leans on the duties above rather than padding the list.

Active Listening

importance 3.00

Speaking

importance 3.00

What not to claim

• A duty from the list above that you did not personally perform. It describes Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners as an occupation, not your particular job — and interviewers for janitor roles ask about the specifics.
• Work from an adjacent role you have not held. Janitor and the roles beside it overlap, and the overlap is where overstatement creeps in.
• A percentage, a headcount or a volume you did not measure. "Improved satisfaction by 35%" is the single most copied line on resume-example sites, and almost nobody who pastes it can source it.
• Active Listening at a level you have not worked at. O*NET rates it highest for this occupation, which makes it the most likely thing to be probed.
• A tool, system or certification you have not used or hold. This is the fastest claim to disprove.

Source and method

O*NET data are provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence.The duties and skills above are reproduced as published. The resume guidance, the prompts and any generated lines are RoleSprint's, and O*NET did not write them.

Related occupations

Same occupational family in the SOC classification, so the duties often overlap with work you have done.

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